Kyle and Jackie O fight: Kyle Sandilands speaks out and says he has plenty of ‘options’ as he waits for ARN to decide his radio fate
Kyle Sandilands has spoken out as he waits for ARN to decide his fate at KIIS FM after his explosive on-air fight with Jackie ‘O’ Henderson saw their show pulled off the air.
The shock jock gave an impromptu interview to industry YouTube show Media McKnight after host Rob McKnight called the 54-year-old’s manager live on Tuesday night.
Sandilands had just come off air from Australian Idol and spoke about his hopes to be back on breakfast radio on Wednesday morning.
“My world hasn’t fallen apart – I’ve still got a contract, that hasn’t changed and until they advise me of such, I’m still more than happy to show up there tomorrow to do the radio show,” he said.
“Although, we’re not sure that that’s going to happen, since we haven’t heard anything yet but hopefully I’ll hear by midnight and then we’ll know where we all stand.
“But I want to get back to work, the listeners want me to get back there. I’ve had many clients call me to say that they want me back on there. So we’ll just have to see whether we’re all singing from the same hymn book.”
As Sandilands started talking about the ARN chairman, his manager cut off his client before the shock jock answered one final question.
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The media personality reiterated he was doing “fine” amidst everything, saying he’s “dealt with tougher things” before.
“Even my best mate, John Ibrahim, called me today and said, ‘How are you?’ I said, ‘Mate, I’m fine’. And he said, ‘No, how’s your mental health?’ And I started laughing, and I said, ‘My mental health is fine’,” Sandilands told McKnight.
“Even my wife said to me, ‘You’re remarkable the way you’re handling this’. And I said, ‘Look, laying down in the corner and crying is not the way I normally – I’ve had way worse things than this to handle. I was a homeless teenager … I’ve dealt with tougher things. I just decompartmentalised it and as I said, I’m willing to do the show if they’re willing to put me on, and time will tell, might be a different conversation in the morning.”
ARN’s impending announcement of whether Sandilands will remain at the network following the expiration of his two-week suspension is expected overnight.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday afternoon outside his home in Vaucluse, Sydney, the suspended radio host boasted of having “some options” if things don’t pan out his way.
The shock jock’s suspension for alleged “serious misconduct”, which was considered “in breach of his contract”, is due to end tomorrow.
“At the end of the day, I’ve got a contract with ARN, I expect them to honour that, and I do have some options if they don’t,” he told reporters outside his home.
When asked what his “best” option was, he replied, “There’s many options.”
“I can’t predict anything, we’re still waiting [for ARN’s update,” he added before getting into a car.
During Sandilands’ suspension, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has hit ARN with licence conditions after being found guilty of several breaches since the start of last year.
Despite his future at ARN hanging in the balance, Sandilands – who was en route to a recording of Australian Idol, on which he is a judge – appeared upbeat and confident as he spoke.
He later appeared on Australian Idol‘s live show, and addressed the drama in a light-hearted manner.
Addressing the audience about the live final performances, he joked: “Today… I have nothing else on my mind.”
He then referenced his smart outfit choice, adding: “I have a job interview at Lowes. Once you’re out of radio, all you can do is sell socks at Lowes.”
Knowing all eyes were on him, he added: “For now, I’ve got this job, and for now, I’ve still got the other job.”
He then promised to be on his “very best behaviour” in case he was censored for what he’d say.
Today’s comments come after Craig Bruce, Sandilands and Henderson’s former boss, claimed he has ”intel” about the shock jock’s next move after his suspension for what ARN alleged was “serious misconduct” following the on-air clash on February 20.
Sandilands, 54, last week released a statement telling listeners and fans, “I miss you. I’ll be back,” while Henderson, 51, broke her silence in a statement claiming she “did not quit or resign” from The Kyle and Jackie O Show. after their show was pulled from the KIIS FM airwaves.
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Bruce, who was program director at 2DayFM during the duo’s decade-long reign at the station, claimed in a video for his Game Changers Radio Instagram page that Sandilands thinks he will “get sacked” but also is supposedly eyeing off “buying” ARN.
“Update, Kyle Sandilands will be back on the air on Wednesday, if he’s not sacked on Tuesday. And he reckons he’s going to get sacked on Tuesday,” Bruce claimed.
“This is intel, I got a DM last night from a listener who was at the Idol auditions, and so he said that to either a crowd of people or to a few people, however that worked.
“He has a plan. If he’s sacked on Tuesday, he’s going to buy the network.
“He’s either going to be on the radio on Wednesday … or he is sacked on Tuesday, that’s according to Kyle Sandilands himself. The plot thickens.”
When asked by one of the reporters this evening if he was planning to buy ARN, Sandilands replied, “There’s many options, that’s all I’m going to say.”
Sandilands’ on-air argument with Henderson began when she read from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s astrology birth chart.
”Ms Jacqueline Henderson has given notice that she ‘cannot continue to work with Mr Kyle Sandilands’,” ARN said in a statement almost two weeks ago.
“Accordingly, ARN has terminated the services agreement with Henderson Media Pty Ltd, under which Ms Henderson presents the Kyle and Jackie O show.
“Ms Henderson will cease to present the Kyle and Jackie O show.
“ARN has also offered to Ms Henderson the possibility of an alternative show on the ARN network.
“ARN has also provided written notice to Mr Kyle Sandilands and Quasar Media Services Pty Ltd (Quasar Media) stating that it considers that Mr Sandilands’ behaviour during the show on 20 February 2026 is an act of serious misconduct which is in breach of ARN’s services agreement with Quasar Media, under which Mr Sandilands presents the Kyle and Jackie O show.
“Mr Sandilands has been given 14 days to remedy this breach. If it is not remedied, ARN will terminate the services agreement with Quasar Media, and in that event Mr Sandilands will cease to present the Kyle and Jackie O show.
“During the 14 day period, Mr Sandilands will not take part in the show. The KIIS breakfast show will be taken off-air effective immediately, with interim arrangements made for the show.”
Responding in a statement previously, Sandilands claimed “the truth is that ARN terminated Jackie’s contract on the same day it accused me of a breach”.
“It suspended me from work,” he said.
“All of this happened while I was being told to sit quietly and say nothing. That is not a genuine process.
“We never needed lawyers or ASX announcements to sort things out. I believe we could have sorted this out too, if ARN had given us the chance. I have a contract with ARN that runs until 2034. I am committed to that contract.
“Despite what ARN says, I am not in breach of that contract. I want to be on air. I want to be with my audience. I want to do the job I have done my entire adult life.
“I am asking ARN to do the right thing: honour our agreement and let me get back to doing what I do best – entertaining the people who have supported this show for more than two decades.”
Henderson said in her recent statement: “I want to make one important point very clear: I did not quit or resign…
Eight words uttered on live radio almost ended his career
“I am deeply saddened by the events of the past week and the possibility of the show ending. This has come as a shock to me, as it has to everyone else.
“It has been truly heartbreaking to see how this has unfolded. At this stage, I am unable to say anything further, as I am addressing this through the appropriate legal channels.”
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